dynamic timeline retold
by keith cornwell
Summary: *This is a mature story, combat is told in great detail. In this story time moves on its own, whether you've done what was needed or not. Follow Pein as he traverses Skyrim to fulfill the prophecy of Dragonborn in the world and with the people you know and love. This is full of hidden details and as lore-friendly as possible while making it my own. See the full story on facebook.
1. unbound

Pein awoke with his hands bound, and with no recollection of any prior events.

"So, you're finally awake. You walked right into that imperial ambush, you and this horse thief."

Pein looked up to see a Nordic man in armor he was not familiar with. And to his right were two more Nords, one was gagged…

"If you would please… just give me a few minutes of silence to recollect my thoughts," Pein asked as nicely as he could. He tried to remember what happened, but to no avail. _I must've hit my head_. He thought to himself.

The wagon pulled them along down the mountain and soon a town came into view.

"Where are they taking us?" the one next to Pein asked.

"I don't know where we're headed, but Sovengarde awaits."

"No, they can't do this!"

"Sure they can," Pein said. "The penalty for stealing a horse is death. Now shut your mouth before I rob the executioner of a victim." Pein's threat, though hollow, worked. The wagon remained silent up until they were taken before the imperial captain.

"Step towards the block when we call your name, one at a time." The captain said to us, then again to the wagon to the left.

"Ulfic Stormcloak, jarl of Windhelm."

"It has been an honor, jarl Ulfric." The man to Rein's left spoke.

"Ralaf of Riverwood... Lokir of Roarikstead"

"No! I'm not a rebel." Lokir started running. Pein could only chuckle at the futility. Hands bound and in a town full of soldiers. Obviously, Lokir was shot in the back by an archer. Pein couldn't help but chuckle again, the executioner was robbed.

"Anybody else feel like running?" the captain asked.

Yes. Better than dying on my knees. Pein thought but wisely kept it to himself.

"You there, step forth. Who are you"

Again he tried to collect his memories and again failed. Realization struck him hard, he had no memory at all.

"I am... Pein, from… nowhere."

"What do we do captain, he's not on the list."

"Forget the list, he goes to the block."

"By your orders, captain. At least you will die in your homeland kinsmen."

 _A faction_? pein thought as he tried to identify the soldiers on the other wagon. _Are the imperials executing a rival faction? But who would be driven to such extremes as to start a war with the imperial legion_? How did Pein know about the imperial legion just at that time?

"My ancestors are smiling upon me, imperials, can you say the same!?"

 _I must've hit my head on something..._

"Next, you there, the nord in the rags." A roar from the mountains stopped everyone in their tracks, even the imperial captain. After a few seconds, the roar was heard again, much closer than just seconds before.

"I said, next prisoner!"

"What in oblivion is that?!" a watchman called, just as a giant black beast landed on the top of the watchtower.

NAAL FIN MULAAG DO ALDUIN KIIN UTH HI PRAAN DOVAHKIIN

The excitement of the arrival had everybody scrambling to and fro, but as soon as the sound reached his ears, Pein was out cold.

Pein was awoken surrounded by men with that strange armor. "you too felt that cold voice?"

" Yeah," he said groggily. "... What happened?" Pein asked as some men helped him to his feet.

"That dragon spoke to you in an ancient language very few mortals know. He said 'By the strength of Alduin (first) born of Akatosh I command you to sleep(the sleep of death). Without my help, you never would have woken up."

He was hiding something. Pein thought. But decided to focus more on the crisis at hand.

"Thanks, I guess. who are you anyways?"

"I am Ulfric Stormcloak, jarl of Windhelm and leader of the Stormcloak rebellion."

"Not one for subtlety I see…"

KOLOS HI! Just the words were enough to shake the foundation of the tower.

"The dragon is looking for us." Ulfric said.

"Then let us leave."

"Indeed, perhaps the greybeards can help you."

"Who are the greybeards?"

"save your questions for later." Ulfric snapped. "Right now we need to get out of here! Head up the stairs and jump to the Inn, we'll talk when this is over."

Pein didn't question it, he began running up the watchtower when the dragon knocked his head through the wall, thankfully Pein was out of sight.

YOL TOOR SHUUUUUUUL, fire engulfed the poor soldier in front of him. As soon as the dragon flew off Pein jumped for the Inn as he ran down the stairs his heart stopped.

HI FEN DIR DOVAHKIIN! KRII LUN AUS


	2. before the storm

Too weak to move, Pein knew he was doomed. He felt a force of wind behind him as the dragon inhaled; but before it spoke, Pein heard another deafening voice.

FUS RO DAH

The dragon's head lurched to the side, fire engulfing the space between the Inn and building beside it.

"Run!" Ulfric called from his left. Pein didn't get far when the last thing he saw was a tail coming straight for him.

Pein woke up in the bed of someone's house, apparently removed from the keep. He sat up groggily but passed out again. When he came to again he saw a woman sitting in a chair on the other side of the house, she was sewing or knitting something in her lap.

"What happened?" Pein asked her.

"That dragon was after you." She said "... and according to Jarl Ulfric, it wanted you dead."

Just as she finished talking, a door opened and another Nord, the one Pein recognized as Ralof from the keep, walked into view. "Jarl Ulfric sends his regards and asks you to go to Windhelm when you can. We carried you here to my sister, Gerdur's, house in Riverwood."

Gerdur cut in "Ralof, we need to go to Whiterun and warn the Jarl about the dragon."

"You said your name was Pein right; I'll be waiting for you there, but I can't stay for too long. You can meet me there and we can both head to Windhelm."

"How long have I been out?" Pein asked.

"About seven hours," Ralof answered. "And it's good you woke up at all. Ulfric said that dragon marked you for death before it hit you, you were almost dead when we got to you, but a few healing potions and magic words stabilized you. I'd like to talk more about it, but Gerdur's right, Jarl Balgruuf needs to be warned about what happened." And with that Ralof moved out of view, and Pein heard a door open and close.

"I meant to ask him something," Pein said to Gerdur. "I've lost most of my memories, I don't remember anything before the ambush. Who is fighting the empire?"

She looked stunned. "Do you not know about the Altmeri Dominion going to war with the Empire?" Pein shook his head. "in the fourth era 171, about thirty years ago, the Dominion took advantage of the weak empire and attacked Cyrodiil, and won. Twenty-six years ago, the Thalmor and the empire signed a peace treaty called the white-gold concordat that ended the war between them, part of the terms was the outlaw of Talos. The Nords of Skyrim resented the empire for shaming everyone by outlawing Talos' worship all across Tamriel. Jarl Ulfric decided that Skyrim no longer wanted to be a part of such a shameful empire, and rebelled. Now the Thalmor are strong-arming the empire to put down the rebellion."

"Why was Talos worship outlawed?"

"The Thalmor believe that no mortal can ever become a god."

"Haven't they ever heard of the tribunal?" Pein said before he realized what he was saying. _where did that come from_? He thought to himself. "... the choice of who to worship, or to worship anything at all for that matter, is the choice of the individual, not the government."

"If you really believe that, then join us! My brother is already fighting for that very freedom! My husband and son were captured by the Thalmor for Talos worship, their probably dead now because of those heartless bastards!"

"you really hate them, huh? What are you doing to help?"

"I help make arrows for the Stormcloaks; it's not much, but at least it's something. It's the only thing that damn mill is good for... But enough of that, get some sleep."

By the next day, Pein was in well enough condition to travel light. He was given an iron sword and dagger, as well as a suit of leather armor from Alvor, the local blacksmith. He learned quickly what all he could and could not do; he was fairly well with a bow, and, with curiosity at play, threw the knife at the target, with better accuracy than the bow. Swordplay was random and sporadic, but he controlled it well enough to best the blacksmith. Alvor noted Pein's arcing slashes and the excessive motion of Pein's off hand. Skyrim was relatively close to Akavir, but very few, if any, Nords practice with the Akaviri swords, much less dual wielding them, and Alvor could not forge one. Pein missed the notion that Alvor was referring to him...

"Old Delphine at the Inn has been seen sometimes with one, but you look like you are used to wielding two... perhaps if you can get it for me, legally, of course, I could replicate it for you. But I bet not even Eorland Grey-mane couldn't match the alloy the Akavir use. Anyway, that would suit you better than this wide long sword."

Gerdur met him on the bridge for a farewell. "Here is some food for the journey, and some septims for the local Inn. If you can't find Ralof soon, just leave without him."

"Thank you for your help, Gerdur, I will return to repay you. Perhaps I will find a use for your mill that doesn't involve weapons."

"thank you, but there isn't much here to help with."

"Oh? The leader of a village doesn't need any help? Well then, I will just take my services elsewhere." Pein turned to leave and as soon as he did Gerdur called out again.

"When Jarl Ulfric is finished with you, and you still don't have a place to stay, come back here I'll help find you a house."

"It seems all the houses are occupied around here."

"Then you can stay at mine." She offered a wink and turned around.


	3. making friends

Pein traveled north along the river to the waterfalls, and from there Whiterun was in sight. He stayed on the roads until he got to Pelegia Farm, there he found a party of adventurers fighting a giant wielding a club. His heart stopped as it smashed the ground, he felt the vibrations even from the crossroad. Before thinking about his current predicament he drew his sword and dagger and rushed the giant.

To his credit, he managed to dodge the giant's foot as it smashed the ground where he just was and was able to throw his dagger at its heart, but its hide was too thick for the dagger to puncture the muscle, so it hung limply from the giant's chest, wedged in its skin. As Pein stood up from his roll, a wave of nausea struck him, and he fell over backward. Unable to even stand, he could only lay and watch the overcast swirl endlessly. Pein rolled over on his belly and tried to focus on a single blade of grass to settle his equilibrium.

After an unknown length of time passed, a shock from the ground jolted him. He was still nauseated, but he at least sat up. After his vision cleared he saw a man and a woman wearing similar armor approach him while all the others walked back to the city.

"You don't look too great, friend." The man said with a very distinct accent. "what's your story? First time in a fight and couldn't handle the blood?"

"he looks disease-ridden." The woman said. "let's get him over to Ahlam at the Cauldron."

"Why? It's not like he did anything."

"It was his dagger that your brother drove into the giant's lung, ice-brain!" She reminded him. "Now help me get him to the cauldron."Pein tried to speak, but it came out as incomprehensible. "Don't worry, we'll take care of you."

Pein woke up to a conversation, it was the same two people as before. "Potions are effective immediately, but he's been out for quite a while. You think he's dying?"

"Don't be ridiculous." She said. "Color is returning to his face, and I know you can hear his heart beating stronger. He was nearly a corpse when we brought him here, and he has only gotten better since."

"You think he's Companion material?"

"Perhaps, there aren't many humans I know that charge at a giant, especially an enraged one."

"you think he's cute?"

"W, What did you just say?!"

"I just wanted to see how you would react. I must say, you didn't disappoint..."

"Hey, you hear that? I think some of the other companions want you to fetch some mead, ice-brain!" A short silence followed, then Pein heard footsteps moving away.

Pein started to purposely twitch his eye to catch her attention. He felt a warm hand gently stroke his cheek, and her thumb press against the outer edge of his eye. He used her touch as an excuse to open his eyes and look at her. She ditched the armor in lieu of a ragged robe, one with a low v-neck.

"You're finally awake. I worried for a moment that you wouldn't wake up at all."

"That bad huh?"

"Yeah, you were cold and pale, and even our healing potions didn't do much to help. One of the other Companions didn't want you here, he said you weren't worth the time."

"How long was I out?"

"A few hours, it's midnight now. Get some more sleep, we can talk tomorrow."

Pein woke up again to people talking; two men and neither voice were familiar. "I feel like I met this man before..."

"it was a dream, and nothing more."

"We will see what he is really made of when he wakes up."

"I hear Aela's waiting for him too. A 'friend' tells me she fancies him..."

"Would that friend be you ice-brained counterpart? Not the most reliable source..."

"My brother's no liar!"

"Of course not, but I don't think Aela outright stated it, and he is a slow learner, he may be mistaken."

"Alright, let's get some mead or something."

Pein heard a door open and close, then turned his head to look around. He was in a sleeping area, but most of the other beds were empty. It must've been late in the morning. Pein groggily sat then stood up, he took about five steps before having to lean his hand against the wall. After he regained his balance, he noticed his hand wasn't grabbing a wooden support beam, but something metal. He looked to his left at Aela's metal shoulder pauldron.

"you need help?" She offered.

"Are you going to carry me?"

"No..."

"Then all I need is directions to the Jarl."

"Dragonsreach, aptly named. The one keep is large enough to fit an army, at least a quarter the size of the actual city. In the main hall, past the fireplace, the jarl was exactly where Aela said he would be. As Pein approached the throne, he was stopped by a dark elf woman with an upraised sword.

"The jarl is busy," she said to him. "I will conduct any business you have here."

Loud enough for all in the hall to hear, he said "I am a survivor of Helgen, and have come here with a warning from Riverwood."

"We are gathering soldiers now." The jarl said from his throne. "You're late. You've seen the dragon?"

Pein nodded. "Too well, I had a great view while the imperials were trying to cut off my head."

"well, as long as you keep your criminal past behind you, we have another matter to attend to, our court wizard will want to speak to you." Pein complied and was led to the court wizard's study. "This is Farengar, he found something in an old ruin."

"It's not just something." The wizard said. "It could very well explain that dragon attack."the Jarl took his leave, and Farengar turned to Pein. "What can you tell me about this?" he asked as he handed Pein a stone tablet.

"Yeah, I think I've seen this before." Pein said sarcastically. "It was at the market, I think they called it a paperweight…"

"Funny. It's called the Dragon stone, an adventurer retrieved it for me from bleak falls barrow. Do you know what those dots on the map mean?"

Pein looked at it from different angles, then turned it over. It was a text he couldn't read, but somehow knew what it said. "Dragon burial grounds…" Pein muttered to himself, but loud enough for Farengar to hear. "…That word there, Alduin, that's the name of a dragon…"

"How do you know that?" Pein didn't have an answer but didn't have time to think about it. The same dark elf from before ran into the study. "Farengar, you must come quickly, a dragon has been spotted!"


	4. dragon rising

Irileth, gather the guards and get to the watchtower, you need to go to pein. Your the only one who's had any experience with dragons."

"If you insist, but I'm going to need a bow," Pein said. He was reluctant to fight given his current state, especially against a dragon, and figured archery would be better than melee combat.

"Take his." Balgruuf turned toward the guard. "head to the barracks for some food and rest, you've earned it." The guard handed Pein his weapon and left without saying another word.

Pein walked with Irileth to the front gate where a posse of guards stood ready. Pein decided to skip the speech and head straight to the tower. He could tell from the front gate that the tower had been destroyed by something.

There were definitely signs of a dragon, but it was no longer in sight. As pein walked up to the entrance, he was stopped by a crazed guard but ignored his warnings. At the top of the tower, pein scanned the western mountains, then over the northern plains, thinking that to be the initial threat of a dragon attack. He learned he was wrong the hard way.

Pein heard the cries of alarm moments before he heard, and felt, the dragon smash the top of the tower. Pein turned his head and was face-to-face with the great wyvern. KOS HAAS the dragon's voiced shook the tower and a strange light engulfed pein. Pein felt as though he was weightless, and the weakness and burden he had been suffering since Helgen is now gone. He tried to remember feeling this good, but still no memories came to him.

The dragon opened his mouth and spoke, and this time, pein could understand him.

"It is not right to kill such a worthy hokoron while he is weak, even if he is dovahkiin." Just before Pein could get over the fact that the dragon just spoke to him, said dragon tried to bite him in half. If not for this dragon reversing what the first dragon did to him before, he would be dead… but his newfound strength almost killed him anyway. That one back roll had Pein reeling on his heels, desperate not to fall off, but his bow was not so lucky.

Pein was staring down the dragon again when an arrow stuck itself into his right wing, then another, followed by an ice bolt. The dragon growled and looked at three new assailants, and pein took the opportunity. He unsheathed his sword and drove it into the dragon's neck, but it bent over and snapped in half.

Pein stood before an extremely pissed off dragon with his sword in pieces and his bow forty feet below him, so he did the only thing he could do; he took an arrow out of its quiver, threw it into the dragon's eye, and jumped off the roof.

Luck brought pein down on top of the not as lucky guard who was initially at the tower. Pein rolled to his feet, no worse than before, but the guard was unconscious.

Pein ran across the north side of the tower to get his bow, his only weapon since the dagger too was iron and would fare no better than the sword.

He grabbed the bow and readied an arrow when the other guards arrived on the scene and forced the dragon to land. They were hurting him, but not nearly enough, even Pein's arrows couldn't pierce it's hide.

Pein saw the sword from the unconscious guard and ran for it, the dragon managed to lock his jaws around one guard, shook her violently, and tossed her into the air. While he was distracted by the guard, pein ran up the opposite side his head and jumped forward onto the base of the dragon's wing, and kicked back toward his head. Just as the dragon lowered his head, pein came down and plunged his sword deep into the dragon's spine.

The dragon lurched his head up, launching pein into the air. Pein landed hard on his feet and broke his ankle. He felt the ground shake again as the body hit the ground; but when he got to a sitting position, the dragon began to burn away.

Much like before, streaks of light engulfed pein, coming from the burning corpse. Wounded and fatigued, he could do nothing but lean back on his hands, he stared in awe as the lights surrounded him and seeped into his body. As the light faded, he felt stronger, even his ankle reformed and no longer pained him.

He looked back over to the dragon, but all that remained were bones and bits of scales. As he stared blankly forward, one of the guards approached him. He had to repeat himself multiple times before Pein registered the voice.

"You're the Dragonborn!" the guard said.

"The… what?"

"in the oldest tales, back when there were still dragons in Skyrim, the Dragonborn would slay dragons and steal their power. That's what you did... you absorbed that dragon's power!"

"Those born with dragon blood in 'em." Another guard said as he walked up. "Like old Tiber Septim himself."

"If I were you," the guard continued. "I would head up to high Hrothgar where the greybeards live."

Pein didn't stick around for any more talking. He headed straight to Dragonsreach. As he walked around the tree in the middle of the cloud district and past the Talos preacher, the ground began shaking violently. A voice pierced the sky, and seemed to seep into the heart of every person in Whiterun.

DO-VAH-KIIN thunder rumbled across the clear skies, the ground shook again, then all was quiet.


	5. character development

"We heard the summons." Jarl Balgruuf told Pein as he walked towards the throne. "What happened at the watchtower?"

"We killed the dragon, but after it died, I absorbed some kind of power from it, and one of the guards said I was 'Dragonborn'."

"So it is true? the greybeards were summoning you..."

"Who are the greybeards?"

"Masters of the way of the voice, they live on the mountain called the Throat of the World. That thundering sound before was them."

A man from behind spoke up then. "the greybeards haven't summoned anyone in... centuries at least."

Pein was dying to see what he can do out in the open now that his mysterious fatigue was gone. his thoughts journeyed to the Companions, and what adventures he may share with them.

Balgruuf interrupted his thoughts. "Before you go, you must be rewarded for saving my city. By my right as Jarl, I name you thane of Whiterun, and assign Lydia as your personal housecarl." The confused look on Pein's face prompted a further explanation. "She will live in your house and follow you into battle if need be. She will tend to your every need."

"Jarl… I don't have a house. It was burned down, I came to Skyrim with nothing. I am sorry, but I must decline your offer." Pein did not know if he had a house or not; but with no memory, it was a good time to start his life over. The lie was short and simple, and easy to remember, and the tragedy dissuaded further questioning.

The hall hushed at the news. Finally, Balgruuf broke the silence. "I cannot have our new hero homeless. We have a house available for purchase, for you, we'll sell it for 500 septims."

With the money Gerdur gave him, and what he found from the dragon, he had a just enough for it… but his thoughts were elsewhere. "Regrettably, I must decline. I have lost everything, including all my money, and I don't yet know where to call home." Something told him he was going to need that money…  
"Very well. If that is your decision, then so be it. But you are always welcome here. One last thing; before you leave, speak to the companions, they were wanting to fight the dragon themselves, and they might exchange supplies for a good tale."

I was going to say hello to a certain someone… pein thought, he took his leave and did exactly that. He navigated his way to Aela's room. He must've been an adept sneak before his tenure to Skyrim because he was able to open the door, walk through, and close the door without alerting her. She was taking something from the chest at the foot of her bed, she turned to her display case when Pein announced his appearance.

"Sneaky type are you?" she asked as she opened the case and took an elven bow out. "I don't have time to sit and chat with you." She continued. "I am off to fort Amol east of here. it's been overrun with mages, and the Stormcloaks are paying well for mage heads."

"It just so happens that I am headed to Winterhold in the east. Perhaps I can join you and help clear out the fort."

Aela sized him up, then said: "You couldn't stand up straight last time I saw you, how do you plan to clear a fort?"

"The pride of a dragon was also his downfall; he removed the curse I had, I feel better than ever now."

"That was you!?" She gasped, taken back by the news.

"I sure am. A dragon is dead by my hand... those mages will be dead before they lift their hands."

"I was right before... you've got some fire in you, we should go 'hunting' together sometime... but you aren't going to do much with that kind of equipment. What kind of armor do you prefer?"

"A variation of chainmail," Pein said before he even knew he opened his mouth, but he continued unhindered. "I usually wear a thick cloak to cushion arrows or darts."

"I see, the old man Eorland can make the best chainmail you can get. go up to the skyforge and see him, I'll be waiting at the gate."

Pein traveled up to the skyforge to find who he assumed to be Eorland grey-mane, an apparently fabled smith. "I have a special request... a rather, odd request."

"Gods be praised lad, I can forge anything you want me to."

I knew it was a good idea to keep the money. Pein thought. "Chain mail, but wider, I want two inches between the links. I'm short on money, so I have to work with what I got."

"If you get stabbed or shot, you will have no protection..."

"I know, but I'm agile and move too often in battle to get stabbed, and I'm going to wear a thick cloak to cushion arrows. Aela and I are clearing out mages in fort Amol, I'm not concerned with archers."

"It's your ass son…"

"better than my knee." Pein quipped, drawing a chuckle from the old man.

" What about weapons?"

"The sword will have to do for now... " Pein never thought to retrieve the bow he dropped at the tower. "Can you make throwing knives?"

"Sure, they're just light and well-balanced daggers. I'll make you a few, just pay me back after you clear out the fort."

The armor and daggers were finished in seconds, and Pein was off along with Aela to fort amol. The two decided to attack the fort at night, and they had some time to talk along their journey. Pein told Aela about the dragon attack, and she told him about the companions and Ysgramore. They talked casually until they found a place to stop. Aela expressed her concern over pein's energy from the dragon fight, but he assured her that the dragon fully healed him, but she still insisted they wait until the residents were asleep.

They camped on a hill northeast of Lost Knife hideout overlooking the entrance to the fort. Aela unpacked a bedroll and motioned to Pein to lie down. He still refused, then the trigger question came, why didn't she sleep. She claimed that sleep before a battle never did any good... but Pein knew she was hiding something.

Despite her hiding something, Pein couldn't feel but to open up to her. He told her about his amnesia, and she was decided to help him learn about himself. They whispered ideas and situations to each other, learning more about each other; and Pein, himself.

He was definitely the sneaky type; the soft footfalls, the lean and agile body, the way he reflexively crouched and held his breath at sudden noises, and even his eyes were adjusted to the darkness… the moon was crescent and waning, and the skies were cloudy, but pein could see just as well as a full night sky. They at first thought he was a thief or assassin, but Pein was morally just, and no criminal. She suggested the Morag Tong, the name definitely sounded familiar and Pein wanted to investigate that very closely, but Aela said the guild was destroyed in the fifth year of the fourth era.

They talked longer until the moon was nearing the horizon. The land began to slowly get brighter, and Aela predicted they had two hours before sunrise. As they were getting ready, Pein noticed a form walking from the side into the front gate, he smiled at her and whispered "shall we begin?"


	6. fort amol

"There's a lookout above the gate." Aela whispered. "I'll take him, then you move up; I'll stay here and shoot any more I find. Once the courtyard is clear, we'll regroup at the entrance."

Aela loosed an arrow, dropping the lookout instantly. As soon as the mage fell, Pein was off. He climbed down the hill, crossed the road, and laid on the side of the next hill with his eyes peering over the edge. He scanned the top of the fort for any more, then viewed the front entrance, blood was dripping down. If any were to look toward the entrance, they would be done for.

Pein ran towards the entrance when he heard a gasp from his right, a different mage than before. Acting instinctually, he unsheathed the iron dagger he got from the blacksmith in Riverwood, and threw it at the mage, who didn't react so quickly. He only stood in shock as the dagger landed in his throat. Louder than the gasp, Pein heard keenly the crack of bone as the dagger wedged itself into the mage's spine… the first person Pein ever killed, as far as he knew. Moments later an arrow flew past where the now-grounded mage's chest used to be.

The Morag Tong back story rang louder as he realized that just killed someone and felt no remorse or guilt. Inside he saw another mage leaning over an alchemy table, but it was barren aside from her. As Pein was sneaking up behind her, the sound of a body hitting the ground behind them alerted her.  
Pein rushed her; pushing her into a support beam with one hand while the other grabbed a potion off the table and smashed it against her head. She fell backward, landing face-up. Before she could come catch her bearing, Pein drove the broken bottle into her neck, stood up, then stomped on the bottle. As the mage gurgled on her own blood, Pein sifted through her robe, finding an iron dagger, which he plunged into her heart, ending her misery.

"You want to take the prison or the garrison first?" Pein asked as Aela entered the fort.

"Let's get the prison first, we may find allies down there."

Pein stood at the door, ready to throw it open, as Aela fitted an arrow to her bowstring. He pulled the door open, and Aela let fly. He jumped through the doorway as she knocked another arrow. Pein ran forward and just missed a fireball soar past the back of his head. A dagger throw to his left felled that mage.

With the two mages inside dead, the prison was empty. A voice at the back of Pein's mind told him to investigate the bookshelf left of the door. One book, in particular, caught his interest. The amulet of kings…

Pein put the book in his bag, as he turned to leave, a suspicious-looking bucket with a lantern inside caught his attention. Under the lantern was a spell tome, for a bound bow spell. He shrugged and put that book in his pack too.

Out in the courtyard, they turned their attention to the garrison. As with the first door, Pein opened it while Aela took a shot in. as Pein began to run inside, Aela grabbed him and rolled him out of the way just as lightning came through the doorway.

"There are two left, one on each side." She told him, so much for stealth.

"I guess now would be a good time to learn a certain spell…" Pein took out the book and opened it… but nothing happened. "…how do I work this thing?"

Aela shrugged. "Let's ask them." She said, drawing a great smile on Pein's face.

"I love you. Pein said. Aela turned her head and gave a half-smile and a wink in response.

He steadied himself, took a deep breath, and launched himself inside. He somersaulted over the table hugging the left wall, just barely missing the firebolt, but no amount of speed could outmaneuver lightning. A bolt shot from the mage in front of him hit him squarely in the chest and traveled inside his body to his feet, which spasmed uncontrollably. Pein landed hard on his face, flattening his nose. He looked up just in time to see the mage charge another spell; but thankfully Aela was looking out for him, an arrow clipped the mage's shoulder with enough force to knock him down. With that one taken care of, Pein turned a wry eye to the fire mage; but for naught, he was grasping at an arrow shaft in his belly.  
Aela gave Pein a potion, then walked over to the mage and not so gently grasped the arrow shaft.

"Before you go, there is a small problem," Aela said. "My friend here can't learn from a certain spell tome, why?

"When you read a spell tome, the instructions are permanently imprinted into your mind, read the whole book to refresh your memory."

Pein took the book out and skimmed through it. After a moment he closed the book, gathered Magicka in his left hand and released. He marveled at the blue, ethereal-like bow that solidified in his hand.  
"Rest in peace." Pein said as he shot the arrow into the mage's heart. Pein drew again and similarly finished off the other mage.

With the fort cleared, Pein took a black cloak from inside the fort for it's magicka enchantments, then the two climbed the eastern watchtower and watched the sunrise over the mountain. Pein marveled at the beauty of the world awakening all around him. He looked over to Aela and saw an identical expression. He watched as the sun shone on her face, and he couldn't look away so captivated by her beauty was he. Eventually, she looked over to him as well and saw him staring. She blushed lightly and prompted for an answer. He gripped her cheek and pulled her close in for a long and passionate kiss. As their mouths moved in synchronized harmony, Pein's left hand went for her armor straps. With her wolf cuirass discarded, Pein fondled her breasts over her leather jacket. She then moved over to sit on his lap, gripped his head with both hands, and embraced him in her waiting lips.

Caught up in the magic of the moment, Pein wanted more; with his right hand still firmly behind her head, he moved his left hand down to her waist and back up under her shirt. He squeezed her curve, drawing a light moan from her, then began massaging her nipple. Pein brought his hand down onto her thigh and lay her on her back.

When they finished Pein sat back and watched her get dressed. Pein didn't get dressed himself until she had left and began walking back to Whiterun. Pein stood up and watched her leave, then looked up to the rising sun. He felt at peace for the first time in Skyrim.

He was so caught up in the moment he never saw the arrow protruding from his chest until he had already lost consciousness.


	7. the way of the voice

The rocks inched ever closer until they were all he could see. As his final moments came upon him adrenaline flowed freely throughout his body. Time seemed to slow until it felt as though all the world had stopped. He closed his eyes at the last instant, preparing for the impact. For what seemed like hours to his enhanced mind, he fell ever longer.  
Until he could bear the suspense no longer, Pein opened his eyes to the most extravagant sight. He was hundreds, perhaps a thousand meters above the throat of the world. He gazed intently at the geography of Skyrim. Light sparkled in front of Pein, he looked forward and all but reconfirmed his death.

"Pein I am disappointed in you." A voice sounded inside Pein's mind "My chosen Dragonborn, fell to a single arrow from a soldier."

"I am only human, an arrow through the heart would kill anybody." He replied. "...Akatosh I presume, you chose a great time to show up."

"Does your death mean nothing to you?"

"Well I didn't really have much to live for, and I doubt I'll be missed save for one woman; so no, it doesn't, and if I want to be a wise-ass I will. Now, what do you want from me?"

Pein didn't know if a deity could be speechless but based on how long it took for a response, he believed Akatosh was.

"As you may have already guessed, only the Dragonborn can kill a dragon permanently, as he devours their souls. Mulmurnir, the one that attacked Whiterun, was revived by Alduin. Alduin was the one who attacked Helgen; thankfully for us, he inadvertently saved your life. Pein, as the chief of all the divines, I call upon you to kill Alduin, he is the only one that can revive dragons now. I have saved you only this once, don't expect such kindness in the future."  
Before Pein could say anything, he was dropped at such speed he felt as though his face would come off, all the way down to a courtyard on a mountain. This must be high Hrothgar... Pein thought to himself. Alright, let's go introduce myself to a few more crazy old people.

He entered through the double doors and walked down the stairs to be greeted by four old people in big gray robes, each had a very large beard. "I'm answering your call."

As Pein expected, they just stared at him blankly.

"I'm the Dragonborn, I'm here because you summoned me here."

"Well, if you really are Dragonborn," one of them chuckled. "Then let us hear your Thu'um. Shout at us."

"I don't know any shouts, I came here to learn."

The four looked at each other, then three turned to one.

"...perhaps a trial will do..." The main one said. "Retrieve the horn of Jurgen Windcaller from Ustengrav. "If you really are Dragonborn, then you can follow the whisper's call and find the horn."  
He didn't say another word, he just walked down the 7,000 steps and began his new journey.

Pein overlooked the remains of Ustengrav and silently lamented to himself. "Oh look, an old Nordic ruin. Why am I not surprised."

He jumped down the hole, and as he opened  
the door he came face-to-face with an elder female Breton wearing leather armor. This was the same woman who was interested in the Dragonstone… and she was holding a very peculiar horn.

"I met you before, in Dragonsreach." He said to her. "Delphine, wasn't it? No matter, I'm afraid I'm going to need that horn, ma'am; and I would prefer it if we could avoid any hostility…"

"Heh, that's cute. If you insist, I'll indulge you; I may hand the horn over if you can tell me what you're going to do with it."

"You see, the horn is actually fashioned from the skull of a monster I killed a long time ago. I wanted to drink wine from it like all the other heroes. What the hell do you think I'm going to do with it!? I'm returning it to its owners."

Her face became dark and sullen, and a scowl replaced her curious visage. "Listen well, young adventurer, the greybeards are not to be trusted!"

Despite her glaring, Pein didn't back away an inch. He was in no mood for an old woman's ramblings and wasn't about to debate the point.

"I don't know, or care, what you have against the greybeards, but fighting against people who can blast you to pieces with both hands tied behind their backs aren't people to be fighting against. Now give me the horn so I can take care of Skyrim's dragon problem."

He didn't want to threaten her, but he realized how weak his demand was. "The dragon problem ,huh? If you really want to take care of the dragons come see me at the sleeping giant Inn in Riverwood in eight days. Ask for the attic room."

The trip south was thankfully a lonely one, giving Pein time to contemplate the old woman's warning. During Pein's brief stay in Skyrim, he felt like the greybeards were the only people that wouldn't kill him for being different. In fact, they seemed the most docile people in Tamriel since the oblivion crisis...

An all-too-familiar roar echoed in Pein's ears and through his soul. The cold had thickened his blood, but that sound stopped his heart. No help, and no weapon, he tried his very best to hide… but unbeknownst to Pein, the best thief in the world cannot hide from the dragon's aura whisper.


	8. can't live with them

"If you think hiding behind a rock is going to help, then just say there." Pein looked up to see a familiar, though not so friendly, face peering down at him. Delphine had only one sword drawn, but it did something to him. It brought memories from his past.

Visions entered his mind, visions of two akaviri katanas. One had a black spine and red edge, showing a flame pattern down the hamon line. The other was white with light or deep blue streaks designed to look like dragon scales.

"What the hell are you staring at!?" A shout from beside him snapped him back to reality. Delphine was standing beside him. "are you going to help me kill this thing or not, because it's landing, and this is the time to attack!" pein's thoughts went back from the first dragon he killed, and how he killed it...

The dragon's landing shook the ground so violently the two fighters nearly lost their footing. As Pein grasped the handle of his steel sword, he realized he hasn't yet unsheathed it. He clumsily removed it from its scabbard and almost cut Delphine with it.

"now isn't the time to learn how to use your left hand!" She scolded him.

"I'm left-handed!" He retorted. Before she could say anything else, pein, sword in hand, charged the dragon. As he neared, he heard the telltale breath intake. So he did what he did last time, he threw his sword at the dragon.

Unlike the arrow that pierced the first dragon's eye, Pein's sword dug into this one's nose. Both the dragon and Delphine froze for a moment, then the dragon bellowed in pain and rage. With the dragon's head facing upward it didn't see pein jumping on its wing. Using the arrow from his bound bow, Pein slid down the dragon's left wing, using the arrow to tear the wing so it couldn't take off again. As soon as Pein hit the ground he climbed the dragon's tail and ran up its back. He released the bound bow and grasped the arrow in both hands, when he got to its shoulder blades he used the arrow to anchor him in the dragon's neck. Pein threw his legs back and dropping himself down as hard as he can, slicing the arrow down to the dragon's chin. The arrow dislodged, dropping Pein to the ground. As he rose, a wry grin spread across his face, he was bathed in a shower of dragon blood. The black robe he got from the mages was wet and sticky, but that fact was overshadowed by his swelling pride. That's two dragons he has killed.

Pein calmly walked back to Delphine with the dragon writhing around the ground. "I like your sword..."

Delphine stared at him blankly, dumbfounded by the spectacle she witnessed.

"I used to have one," Pein continued. "and I wouldn't mind having another."

This time, he got a response. "Take it, I have another... say, you wouldn't mind killing another dragon would you?"

"...Sure... Why...?"

"Meet me at the Sleeping Giant Inn in Riverwood in eight days, ask for the attic room."

They gave their farewells and went their separate ways. Pein decided to stay along the northern mountains instead of following Delphine to whiterun. In three days he made it to High Hrothgar again, and the trip up the 7,000 steps was worth just seeing the look on the greybeards' faces when he walked in carrying the horn. He then spent the next four days making use of the old men's' promise; learning the language of the dragons, and the combination of words they use as Shouts.

After eating lunch from a bag of salted meats that a young woman brought up to them the day before pein arrived, he journeyed down the left side of the mountain. With liberal use of the Become Ethereal Shout, he made it safely down before nightfall. Pein's first thought was to check in the attic room, but he was a day early and intended to make good on someone else's promise...

The door was locked, as it should be, but Pein was given the key over two weeks before. Again questions about his profession pervaded his thoughts, he couldn't help but notice how easily stealth came to him. Pein was able to unlock the door, open it, walk in, close and re-lock it, and stand between the bed and fireplace without alerting her of his presence.

He should have. Gerdur was facing the dresser opposite the bed from him and was undressing. Pein surmised she was winding down for the night by the way she casually tossed her dirty shirt to the floor. Before she pulled her pants down, pein announced his presence.

Almost instantly one hand covered her breasts while the other grasped a dagger from her nightstand. Gerdur faced her intruder with a deathly glare, ensuring that, was he a stranger, she would cut his heart out. But thankfully her expression softened as soon as she recognized him.

"when I said you are welcome in my house at any time, I didn't mean it so literally."

"Well; aside from the knife pointed at me, I'm kind of glad I did."

She smirked and put the knife back on the table and took a nightgown from her dresser. Pein removed the black cloak he got from the mages at fort Amol and hung it on a coat rack by the door allowing her some privacy.

Pein told tales of his adventures and his role as Dragonborn. He excluded his farce with aela and warped his meeting with Akatosh to make the story more believable. When he told of the second dragon fight, he gave great emphasis on the dragon heading southeast. When the tales were over the fire died down, when he tried to lie down in the bed gerdur stopped him.

"You're not getting into my bed with such dirty clothes!" She snapped.

"they aren't that bad, the cloak got most of them." Pein retorted, missing the coy undertone in her voice.

"I don't care, take them off!" Then quietly she leaned over to him and whispered "all of them."


	9. character creation

Pein was up early the next morning working the forge under the tutelage of the local blacksmith Alvor. He thought that since he was so good at knife throwing, he should forge a few for his travels. By noon he had forged from steel two boot knives and two throwing knives, making six throwing knives in total, as well as sheaths around his waist to carry, and slits in his cloak for easy access. Alvor was nice enough to give him the materials and help forge them for free.

He and Alvor were discussing the katana's materials when a Stormcloak scouting party came through town. A few broke off and headed for different houses, one of which was Ralof, who came directly to Pein at the forge.

"you sure didn't go far," Ralof said he walked up.

"well, it's a small country." Pein retorted.

"Sure, if you're running everywhere. Have you ever walked from one end of Skyrim to the other?"

"No, and hopefully I never have to."

"I have," Alvor said from the forge. "From Riften to here to Solitude."

"Man, that sucks," Pein replied. "I hope I never have to do that.

"It's getting toward lunchtime," Ralof said. "I should let Gerdur know I'm back. I'm sure she wouldn't mind if you ate with us."

"She's already cooking..."

Pein and Ralof shared stories about the open road, while Gerdur thing nagged Pein's mind, and he found a hole in the storytelling to ask. "There seems to be some history between you and Alvor..."

Ralof and Gerdur looked at each other. An awkward silence ensued before Ralof answered. "Alvor is Hadvar's uncle; you met him briefly, he was one of the Imperial soldiers at Helgen. With Hadvar as an Imperial and me as a Stormcloak... you get the idea." It was then that Pein fully realized just how deep the weapon known as civil war can cut...

A short while later Ralof's party knocked on the door, and he left to scout again. Pein walked out with him and spoke to the party leader about the newfound vacancy of Fort Amol.

Pein also took his leave to the Sleeping Giant Inn to meet Delphine. Once inside he found her behind the bar serving drinks to drunken brigands the barmaid act didn't fool him. As he approached the bar, one of them, an orc, raised his voice to her and threw the glass, still full, over his shoulder.

Pein caught the glass, unsheathed the left dagger from his back, and jabbed the handle into the back of his head, knocking him out. He calmly sat down on the stool, slid the mug to Delphine and asked for a refill. "I want to rent a room." He said after downing the mug.

"We have one available just over here."

"No, I want your room." Pein's wry grin tipped her off at his intention.

"I don't share my room with travelers."

"Really? I'm pretty sure you told me to come here shortly after I left Ustengrav."

Her scowl deepened. "what would your wife say if she heard that?"

Pein's face showed his surprise for an instant before it returned expressionless.

"I don't have a wife, if I did I never would've left Whiterun... What made you think I was married?"

"My presence." Came a call from the room to Pein's right. He glanced over to the caller, attempting to look angry, but one glance shattered any hostility. Standing in the doorway was a human woman no older than twenty with bright golden blonde hair, a stark complement to her elven armor, and a breathtaking, but sullen, face. Even from here Pein could see her sky blue eyes almost radiant.

She uncrossed her arms and walked out of sight. Delphine followed, beckoning Pein to do so as well. Pein, like a lost dog, followed. Inside Delphine's room was an opened door with a staircase leading down. The room, though large, was relatively empty. What really caught Pein's attention was a certain weapon hanging on a rack to his right. Before he could move, this mystery woman spoke again.

"How much do you remember?" Pein stared at her quizzically, prompting for more explanation, and ensuring he didn't give anything away. "Akatosh told me you lost your memory, just like I did, but I was able to retain knowledge about you, so I had hoped you did too."

Pein had only told one person about Akatosh, and only the night before. Thinking quickly, he played the skeptic. "What did Akatosh tell you?"

"That Alduin was the one who has been bringing the dragons back to life, that you were almost killed in Helgen by him, and that you were the only one who could kill him. The only thing I know about the Dragonborn is in the book on this table."

"And what of our past?"

"A mystery. He said we'd get our memories back when Alduin is dead."

Pein stood in silent contemplation. He didn't know what to feel, she clearly wasn't lying, but still, he had trouble believing who she was. Worse, he still smelled of sawdust and women. Apparently, he gave off more than he intended.

"I don't know very much about you," she said. "But I hate seeing you suffer. Why don't we take our minds off the past and focus on the task at hand? The next dragon attack is at Kynesgrove."

"Good, let's go kill something."

The road to Kynesgrove gave them plenty of time to learn about each other, and Pein felt drawn to Alice, his apparent wife. She was definitely a curiosity; soft and tender enough to make any man hide his intentions, but strong enough to snap his neck. Lithe and limber enough to run cross country, but muscled enough to hold Pein over her head when he, a free runner like her, weighs 200 pounds with the cloak and chain link armor. She is well-versed in destruction and restoration magics, as well as combat proficient with one and two-handed longswords, sword and shield, archery and throwing knives, and hand to hand combat. She studied in the illusion school for the sole purpose of casting a bound bow silently, something Pein made a priority to learn, but perhaps the oddest thing about her is her sword... a katana, which originally caught his attention, that had a steel edge, a gold spine, and a gold handle with overlapping black wrappings. It was ridiculously heavy for a katana, about forty pounds, but cut straight through a large rock. All she can remember about it was that it was someone's brand...


	10. strife betwix human body and dragon soul

The road to Kynesgrove was long and dull, the frostfall month had sent most wildlife underground, and people out of the open, so the party had plenty of time to piece the stories together. Akatosh had told them different things, and neither answered the big question, their past.

She was smart, she pieced together the holes in his journey to come to the same conclusion Delphine did. Alice knew he about his parting with with Aela and neither believed he stayed with Gerdur without without her confort. Strangely he didn't feel remorse or regret at laying with other women, at least not yet, more curiosity at the limits of her intelligence. She had learned, as Delphine had, that Pein had more akin with dragons than humans, always searching for a new challenger, a bigger conquest, so he may reap greater rewards.

With cities being burned down, and people dying by the hundreds by these dragons, it seemed trivial to worry about who was making more with who. Pein walked in silent contemplation about his former transgressions; Pein knew that, one day, he would have to answer to his wife for what he did.

Kynesgrove was in sight, and a dragon wasn't far behind. The trio sprinted for the farm with all haste and was thrown to the ground with its voice. As they neared the burial site a farmer girl rushed past them screaming "there is a dragon attacking! Run for your lives!"

"Acting like that isn't going to get you very far," Alice said after she passed. "That's why I decided to take up the sword." She was grinning at the farmer girl when she said it, but she made an all-too-familiar expression. Pein watched intently as she slowly regained her composure, it was then that she saw him looking at her. "you do it too?"

"Far too often." Was his only response.

A thundering voice shook the ground again and heard keenly what was said, and what said it.

SALOKNIR! ZIIL GRO DOVAH ULSE!

"We'd better hurry," Pein said. "Alduin is bringing a dragon back to life."

"If we're going to be doing this on a regular basis, I need to find a better way to do it," Pein spoke softly to himself as Sahloknir roared. He thought he was being quiet, especially with a dragon yelling at him only a few meters away, but he still got a response...

"Why don't we cut it's head off?" Alice said from behind him. She ran past him with Brand drawn and pointed it's way. "Back me up!"

Pein couldn't describe what he was feeling, but watching Alice charge a dragon, sword drawn, and a smile on her face... Pein felt like he was right where he belonged. A wry grin crawled up his cheek... he had a perfect plan.

Alice ran to the right, Pein flanked left. Sahloknir faced Alice and readied his thu'um, until a different Shout struck his ears.

SAHLOKNIR! ZU'U VUKEIN HI!

Pein's gamble predictably paid off, Sahloknir turned to face his mortal challenger. So proud were the dragons that he paid no heed to the other humans, and almost didn't notice close to 200 pounds weigh his wing down, he didn't notice anything. Even in death, his attention was focused solely on Pein.

"Whatever you said to him, you pissed him off," Alice said after the body burned away. Pein didn't notice her address him. "What did you say to him." She pushed. He didn't notice...

Eventually, he did speak, and Alice wished he didn't. "We shouldn't have done that..."

"Do what!" She pushed, angry at him now. "We beat him, what's so wrong with that!?"

"I don't know, but I feel... wrong... like I made a dire mistake..."

As an archer Delphine invariably stayed back, she had caught the whole conversation and began piecing the puzzle together. "You challenged him to a duel!" She suddenly cried out. "That's why you feel bad!"

"I don't get it," Alice said. "So what? Pein wanted the kill for himself?"

"No; dragon's are, by their very nature, proud beings who crave conquest! When Pein challenged Sahloknir, the dragon soul inside him yearned to prove himself superior, and you struck his pride."

"Pein was never a proud person!" Alice shot back, followed by a flash of confusion. Pein, even dismayed at his own deception, noticed; for it was an expression he wore far too often since his time in Skyrim...

"The Dragonborn!" Pein called at length, venom etched his voice. "what a wonderful curse!"

Delphine had the feeling that her presence wasn't helpful, so she took her leave and hastily retreated.

Pein and Alice locked eyes. He saw her concern; he didn't want to hurt her, but he still felt his fists involuntarily clenched. " I didn't know..."

"No! You didn't!" He regretted saying it even as it came out of his mouth. "I-" he was interrupted by the clang of metal on rock. She dropped her blood-soaked sword and rushed to embrace him. He reflexively went for the daggers at his back, as he couldn't reach the ones at his sides. All anger and resentment he held melted away as he saw her shoulders quaking and saw her tears run down her cheek.

The two held their embrace until both were calmed down enough to talk, but neither ruined the moment with words. Finally, they broke apart and gazed into each other's eyes once again.

The Inn in Kynesgrove was all too willing to give a room up to their saviors, and the two made full use of their privacy.


	11. my sword, Flamereaper

Pein and Alice went back down the hill and rented a room, or rather got a free night for their exploits, at the Braidwood Inn. Lucky them there was only one room with a two-person bed, and made full use of it.

Salhnoknir was pushed out of his mind as a new conquest presented itself, and was teasing him. Even after their fun was had, neither felt tired. Each enjoyed their new friend in the same way, but they were battling different demons.

Alice was sitting on a stool brushing her hair, she knew Pein made a move on Aela and had slept with Gerdur, and was trying to grasp what Delphine had said. Dragons were drawn to victory and conquest, and she knew how men acted around attractive women...

Pein knew Alice was still distressed but didn't know how to help her without making things worse. He started over thinking it and shook away the notions entering his mind. Finally, he decided to take his mind elsewhere; he rummaged in the pockets of his cloak at took out the book he got at fort Amol, the Amulet of Kings.

"A red diamond..." Pein muttered to himself.

"What?" Alice asked. In the mirror, she saw Pein collapse to the ground. Pein could not hear or feel anything, but he saw something simply awe-inspiring. Through the white light, he saw a sword, the same black and red katana as before, while he was at Riverwood. Like Brand, this sword had the spine and edge as straight halves, instead of the wavy lines of standard katanas. The blade wasn't forged together, thus was string-tied, as well as tied to a gold and black hilt. Light glinted off the parts of the shiny gold showing through the intertwining black leather.

When the light faded Pein was standing in front of a stone-like well. He could not control his head or eyes, thus only saw what was in front of him. He spoke to an unseen audience; or rather, his lips moved and he heard his own voice and felt his throat rattle.

"Blood from the Heart of Lorkhan, my father's final gift, and lava-glass bound with the soul of a daedroth, joined by a solid gold handle twist-wrapped with black stained unicorn leather. A weapon fit for the gods, pieced together by a mortal, and forged by the spirits.

Pein watched as his outstretched hand released its grasp on the marvelous sword. He did not continue speaking until he heard the splash of water, the water inside was relatively close to the surface.

"Now, with the sword bathed in the waters of a fragment of Aetherius the three pieces have become one. Pein lifted his still outstretched hand high above his head to show the onlookers the whole sword in his hand once again. Cheers erupted from behind him. Soon they died down and he heard footsteps from behind vacate the area, but one set walked toward him.

"I trust Qorwynn didn't give you too much trouble..."

"No, not after I shoved my foot up his ass... But I'm a little more curious about what you did to those pieces. Quorwynn enchanted the daedric blade with fire and fire resistance; the red diamond is an actual soul gem, and he actually enchanted it with soul trap, he's a hell of an enchanter, the hilt was done with Feather to offset the ebony, so where did the teleporting come from?"  
"When someone dies their souls go to Aetherius unless they are earthbound, right? Well after some hard prayer the mortals' god spoke to me.

The vision faded and Pein could see through his own eyes, he was back at the Inn, and Alice was lying asleep on top of him. He didn't know what time it was, but she must've had a long night because he was able to slide out from under her and get travel ready without waking her. He left a note on the nearby stand telling her where to find him and he set out in the midday sun to Whiterun's hall of the dead.

It was dark when he got there, the shops have finished their evening selling and closed for the night. the hall of the dead was easy to spot, the only door that was underground with two columns of braziers lighting the path.  
"The hall of the dead," Pein murmured. "A burial shrine in dedication to Arkay, god of life and death. I sure hope he's in a talkative mood..."  
Inside the doors and to the right was a shrine of Arkay, the whole reason he came to Whiterun. His exploration-trained mind told him to turn around and look to the left. A wooden door was cracked open, and he heard a man's voice grumbling about an amulet. An idea came into his mind, one that would further his chances of success; after all, what better way to get someone's attention than to help out a friend.  
Pein knocked on the door and walked through without awaiting a response. "I couldn't help but overhear your dilemma," he said as he entered the doorway. "I could find your amulet for you if you let me use it for my prayer."  
The old man faced Pein and sized him up. After a short while, he said "thank you young man, but it's not as simple as finding it. I seemed to have misplaced it in the catacombs, but the dead have been a bit... restless. if you go in there and get it, you can return it to me after you are finished. I would go in there and help you if I could, but without the amulet, I can't face those things, so I'll just wait here and make sure nothing foul escapes."

Aura Whisper showed a skeleton just to the right of the catacombs door, and another one to the far left. Bones don't hold up very well without muscle, and a solid punch sent the right skeleton's skull flying. Pein summoned the bound bow and knocked an arrow; with Aura Whisper still active, he kicked the door open and opened loose on the skeleton's head, to the same effect as before.

Down the stairway right of the main door, through the iron door, and under the laurel to the right of the braiser was the old priest's amulet. Once out of the catacombs he veered left to the shrine. A wry smile slipped through his lips when he felt the familiar presence of a Divine.

"It is good to hear from you again Pein."


	12. small talk with the god of death

"let's start with the sword." Pein started. Of all the things he could have asked, he found that such a weapon will be the most practical, given his current situation. "You enchanted it, didn't you?"

"Have you forgotten your greatest creation? It seems a shame to just leave it here." Arkay replied.

"I don't know how much you know but I don't know very much, so how about you teach me."

"Ware yourself boy; our past changes nothing, I control your death and I will not be spoken to in such a manner."

"Forgive me for my lack of care, but the last time I spoke to a god left something to be desired. Worse, a dragon had surely been making you very busy, so I respectfully request we not waste each others time."

Pein expected to have his brain turn to water, but the presence seemed to just give up. He didn't know if something without shoulders could shrug, but if it could, it just did. "I guess I should be used to such an attitude, but before I hand over your swords, I have some of my own."

"I already told you I don't know much, so don't expect very much, but I will answer the best I can." Pein was walking a thin line, but he was tired and frustrated, and Arkay felt it. Pein tried to keep his mouth in check.

"You were in Cyrodiil not long ago, then you disappeared, and now you're in Skyrim. Where did you go?"

"I lost all of my memories before Alduin attacked Helgen, Akatosh took them. I know only of the sword from a dream."

"I see. So you came here hoping I could reveal the memories taken from you by Akatosh. That I will not do."

"And you wonder why I had issues with you to start with? If you can't restore my memories, then we are finished here. Thanks for nothing, you've been a marvelous waste of time."

Pein tried to open his eyes, but felt as though they were glued shut, he tried to stand but to the same effect. The presence in his mind did not recede.

"Your weapons are still in Aetherius. Whether I believe you deserve such wonders is irrelevant; they are your creation, call to them. I have decided that I will not help or hinder any mortal, and our deal still remains."

The presence was gone and Pein fell backward from the release. The sight of something so simple as the ceiling to the hall of the dead seemed surreal to him. Pein lied on the ground to catch his bearings as he recalled his meeting. Every answer gave more questions and finding answers was becoming harder and more time-consuming.

His silent contemplations were interrupted by a young imperial woman with long golden blonde hair standing over him. "we have a problem." She said.

"I'm tired of dealing with problems, how about helping me solve some before you start announcing more."

"well, why don't you get off your ass and kill this one."

"If it's another dragon, I swear to every god I know I will tear it's fucking throat out with my bare hands!"

"...when I said 'kill', I meant 'solve'. But now that you mention it, I have found out some pretty bad news about the dragons."

"more immediate issues require more immediate action, what's the problem?"

"You owe the jarl 5,000 gold."

"That's easy, we charge 1,000 per dragon head; so far we're up to three. How do you know we owe the jarl money?"

"The jarl's steward met me at the gate, and gave me the key to a house, said it belongs to Pein and he awaits your payment... Why are you on the floor?"

"Don't worry about it, let's see the jarl."

Pein and Alice walked out of the hall to a hail of sounding alarms. Guards rushed to the front gate, but Pein managed to get an answer from one. The Stormcloaks were here. Pein and Alice ran to the front gate as well, rushed past screaming guards, and slammed through the gate. The bridge to the right was up, preventing entry, and on the road soldiers were pouring through the entrance.

Pein ran forward onto the catwalk and called out

ZU'U KOS DOVAHKIIN! KRIID DO DOV! NID ALL VIIK ZU'U!

Soldier, guard, and civilian alike stopped in awe at the ground shaking beneath their feet. Arrows were thrown off course, orders shouted by commanders were never heard, hands shook so violently that most combatants could no longer grasp their weapons, war-cries and battle drums were silent in comparison, and even screams of pain and agony ceased. In one statement Pen had halted the siege of whiterun.

"The city of Whiterun is under the protection of the Dragonborn, and he is ready to scorch each and every one of you to the bone if you don't get the hell out of his city!" To emphasize his point Pein Shouted a cyclone of fire at the western watchtower, igniting it instantly and knocking it over with the sheer force of his Voice. The call for retreat sounded after the commanders recovered from the initial shock, followed closely by cries for the Dragonborn.

Pen thought the cries were from the Whiterun guards, whom he didn't care to address, and began walking back through the gate. He didn't understand what the calls were really for until the ground shook again, and another Shout was called forth. He didn't have to turn around to know about the fire breath Shout, he could feel it. Pein became ethereal at the last moment, but as he wasn't physically there, the fireball continued forward to crash into the gate, knocking the left gate off its hinges.

Pein turned toward Alice, who was crouched behind the wall the catwalk was attached to. "As much as I would love to make good on my promise, that was a pretty strong fireball, so let's take this one cautiously."

He drew his steel sword, and Alice brought Brand to bear. Seeing her struggle with a forty pound sword made him think of his own, and how thankful he was to put a feather enchantment on it.

"I am Nahagliiv!" The dragon said, even his common tongue shook the ground. "...and I have answered you challenge!"


	13. the first real battle

This dragon was much stronger than the other three Pein fought; his voice, louder. Pein heard the call for a volley of arrows, but one flap of the dragon's wings sent them all flying away. Mages readied their spells, but met only a specter, its physical body in Aetherius.

"You had to give him that idea, didn't you?" Alice chastised him. "As if it wasn't going to be hard enough..."

"I thought you were supposed to be helping me?"

"Hey, I'm not the one who is teaching dragons how to dodge everything!"

"Can you two finish this talk later?" A soldier said from behind them. "You're the Dragonborn; you're supposed to be good at killing dragons!"

Pein and Alice turned to the guard. "Oh I'm sorry," Pein started "Am I not doing well enough for you? Oh no, your right, killing dragons are so easy. You should do it, go ahead and try."

"You're still a child." Pein heard a dreadfully welcomingly familiar voice behind him.

He turned to see Aela, as well as all the other Companions, walking through what used to be the gate. He couldn't see her, but Pein could sense Alice's remorse.

"If I didn't know any better," she continued. "I would say you don't belong here. I've seen you fight, though, and I know you can handle this." She turned to Alice. "Who's she?"

"My wife." Pein responded. Aela's face sraightened, but before she could say anything Farkas interrupted.

"We're pretty grey about the civil war, but now that a dragon is around we decided we should help... Where is it?"

"Eating soldiers," Pein replied. "We'd better go stop it." Pein glanced at Aela, signaling that they would have to talk about it later.

Piles of soldiers surrounded Nahagliiv, and there was not a scratch on him to show for it. Pein started thinking of ideas, his straightforward methods of the past would very much kill him, and this is not one he wants to get close to. His thoughts went back to one of his first memories, to what Alduin did to him.

KRII LUN AUS

Nahagliiv writhed and spasmed; but his voice wasn't as strong; and as soon as he recovered, Pein became his sole target. Fire came from his mouth again, headed right for Pein, and was blocked completely by Farengar's ward.

Pein wasn't too shocked from the wizard's appearance; it seemed all of Whiterun came to fight the dragon but the ward. "The ancient power of dragons stopped by a simple ward."

"Lucky us, huh?" Farengar replied.

"Yeah, lucky us." He had to keep that in mind...

Nahagliiv saw his Shout ineffective, so he began walking toward Pein at the gate. Pein and Alice jumped down to ground level and ran right to flank him, while the Companions went left. Nahagliiv turned his head at Alice and bit at her, but Brand kept her safe with an enchantment unbeknownst to her, one that set his mouth ablaze. His club-like tail kept the Companions at bay.

Pein, armed still with only his steel sword, ran at Nahagliiv's right foreleg. Nahagliiv, enraged at his burning mouth, thrashed about. Pein saw his tail coming right for him and lifted his sword to cut it off. The sword and tail connected, and to terrible results. The sword broke in two, and the shockwave threw his arms back, while his legs still ran forward. Pein landed hard on his back, still gripping the handle, while the blade flew away.

When he recovered he saw a dark elf on top of the dragon at the base of his tail while seven other surrounded his back side but two lay dead. On the other side of Nahagliiv Alice was struggling to stay away from jaw. Seeing his wife in danger made Pein instinctually released and clenched his left hand. When he still felt the hilt of his sword he became enraged and threw it at Nahagliiv. He was surprised to see a fully formed sword sailing towards Nahagliiv.

Pein lifted a foot forward and kicked something. He looked down at the handle of his broken sword, and the pieces came together. His katana had returned, and made a very welcome appearance.

He didn't have time to celebrate, though; for while his sword had penetrated Nahagliiv's hide in front of his right foreleg, he turned his attention toward Pein. One fell sweep of his tail had knocked Alice back several feet and had likely broken her ribs and the dark elf was sent flying. Three Companions were dead and the others lost their will to fight. Now Pein was his only target.

Pein instinctively opened and clenched both his hands this time, and the enchantment activated again. The black and red katana that had pierced Nahagliiv behind his neck, where a shoulder would be on a dragon, and watched the sword disappear from his hide and felt again his hands clasp hilts...

Pein looked down to see a katana in each hand; the black and red one from his vision in his left hand, and a new and beautiful katana in his right hand. This one had a blade design that looked like dragon scales, a white base with light blue scale outlines. The handle was silver wrapped in white leather, a contrast to the gold and black handle to his left. Closer inspection of the leather showed that it was fashioned to read ' icing death'. Looking at the black one, he noticed the 'flame reaper' design, a new addition from his vision.

Pein had foolishly taken his mind off Nahagliiv, and he was fast closing in. Nahagliiv stopped abruptly and spun his tail around, using the forward momentum of his body along with the already devastating force of his tail to drag it across the ground, aiming up for Pein's test.

As if his body acted alone, Pein's right arm came up to block the swing and a flash of light stole his vision. It wasn't light, but ice! Nahagliiv's tail was stuck to the ground!

Pein realized that his sword had made that wall, and it had stopped the full force of a dragon without any chip or crack in the ice. Pein held it out again and felt as well as saw the trail of ice behind his swing as the enchantment began. He felt something familiar, an action that he had done many times. Pein lifted Icingdeath straight above his head and slashed down. A beam of ice flew down the blade and launched toward Nahagliiv, cutting his wing in half. Ice formed around the wound and stopped blood from flowing out.

Pein stood face-to-face with the mighty dragon, now heaving and out of breath. Nahagliiv did not try to bite Pein, he had conceded defeat.

BAHLAAN PAAL

Worthy foe. A fitting farewell for any dragon. Pein started the heating enchantment on flamereaper, stuck icingdeath into the ground, took hold of it in both hands, and cut Nahagliiv's head off. The heat burned through his scales like kindling, flash boiled his blood, and the Daedric edge cut through his spine with ease. Nahagliiv, the great dragon that had destroyed Rorikstead, is dead.


	14. breezehome, money, and bandit camps

"Breezehome, our new house. Can you believe I got it for free?"

"Nahagliiv killed over twenty people, including three Companions, I thought you would be with them mourning their dead," Alice responded.

"My ties to the Companions ended when I learned you existed. I did one job with one of them, then died, I didn't hear of them mourning my death. But enough talk about that; I'm tired of talking about dead things."

Alice took his advice and dropped it. She looked around at the cobwebs and dust littered around the house. She wanted to clean it, but with what tools? She thought about their plight, and came to an unnerving conclusion; they had no money. They fed on wild game or bought food with coin from others, Pein still had a hole in the back of his cloak from an arrow at Fort Amol, and she herself had felt that her armor was weakening from use. Now that they have a house they need furnishings; and now that they are citizens, they can't be caught poaching.

A knock on the door took her out of contemplation. Pein opened it to a courier.

"This is a letter of inheritance from Ralof and Gerdur of Riverwood, and this purse holds 100 septims. Oh, and I have another letter for you, she didn't say who she was but that she was a friend. Looks like that's it, got to go!"

"So much for not talking about the dead," Pein lamented after he closed the door. "Gerdur's husband, Hod, died in an imperial raid a few weeks back, Ralof told me he found the soldier and killed him.

"You must have left quite an impression on him for him to give you part of his brother-in-law's inheritance..."

"Ralof is with Ulfric in Winterhold, Gerdur sent it herself." Pein sat down at the table with Alice and tossed the letter aside. "Let's see what friend would send us a letter. It reads: Pein, there is a party being held at the Thalmor embassy in twelve days, meet me in the attic room in a few days to discuss how we can get in. Sincerely, a friend."

"It's a day in a half to Riverwood," Alice said. "Why would she tell us to go in a few days? On that note, why not just come over here and tell us herself?"

"We can ask her when we get there, until then, let's use some of this money for provisions, then embassy is northwest near Solitude."

"In the meantime, why don't we get this place cleaned?"

"Cleaned?"

"Awww, are you scared to clean?"

"Yep, I sure am, it's the bubbles that get me. How about you get some cleaning supplies while I find a job."

"Well, we're probably going to be in Skyrim for quite a while, so building up a treasury will be a good idea, and with that in mind I should open up a shop to bring in revenue."

"Your right, I'm sure to come across all sorts of things in my journeys, so I'll keep my eyes open for anything valuable. In the meantime, I'll ask around for some more local jobs."

Pein did exactly that, and struck luck on his first job, clearing out bandits in Halted Stream Camp, and old iron ore mine in the mountain just north of Whiterun. The outside was mostly taken care of for him by the time he got there, three giants had attacked the residents. Pein arrived in time to see the last bandit fall...

Pein didn't know the giant's reasoning for attacking, but the companions said they were very protective of their mammoths, and the mammoth carcasses and tusks strewn around the camp gave him a pretty good idea why. Seeing the giant as only protecting its herd, Pein decided to stealthily go inside the mine without joining the Nordic Space Program like the last person the giant killed.

once inside a pressure plate was lying out in the open in the middle of the walkway, once past that ridiculously easy trap that anyone watching where they are going could have avoided, Pein heard a man grumbling. On the other end of the tunnel, Pein saw a human in iron armor eating, even though it was night time and all his friends outside were dead... a well-placed knife throw had him joining his neglected friends.

Down the locked hall, Aura Whisper showed three more people inside. Two people were lying down, likely in a bed, and a third was sitting in a chair reading a book. He snuck back toward the entrance to the mine so his bound bow didn't alert them to his presence. Although Alice learned to cast silently, Pein had neglected to learn it. He could've used his throwing knives, but he wanted to get better with his bound bow, as it is by far the most practical.

Back down the mine, Pein continued a little bit further down the wooden pathway until all three were in sight. The reader had gotten up and returned the book to the shelf, then walked down some stairs and sat at a nearby grindstone. The arrow aimed at his throat struck his temple, his head stopped the sword from hitting the ground. One of the sleepers, a dark elf, eased out from the grasp of her partner and stood up. She looked around for the other bandit and began walking toward him, stretching her arms high above her naked body.

"Are you awake?" She called to him. "Chief is a little too rough for my liking, you know how orcs are, but right now I want some tender loving. Want to give me some?"

"I won't love on you," came a voice from behind her. "But I may treat you much better than I did your two friends in here, and the one in the hall, and the many outside."

She faced her intruder, but could not see his face, in shadow from his large black robe. In his hand was a dagger with a thin red line down the edge, a stark contrast to the chrome-like steel shining against the torch light.

"If you want that treatment, tell me something worth sparing you for."

"There's a spell tome on the table behind you, that's the best thing you'll find in here, and the only thing keeping us here. At least, it was."

She was clearly not willing to do anything, so he paid her no heed as he pocketed the tome and a few potions, sifted through the chest and dresser, took anything else valuable, and walked past her toward his way out.

"Wait," she called back to him. "You're the only decent man I've seen in quite some time, are you sure there isn't anyone else you want from here?"

Her wording gave him pause, Pein looked back to see the elf squeezing her breasts together with her shoulders.

"No," was all he said.

Pein dropped off the ore and spell tome at home and received a 350 gold reward from the Jarl's steward. On his way back home he noticed a bit of talking about the dead tree, the lure of adventure and loot had him asking about it as well. He learned from Danica Pure-Spring that the tree can be revived by the use of a special dagger. That intrigued him enough, but then Danica introduced him to someone, a new character, a female high elf named Danifae.


	15. Orphan Rock

Pein didn't ask about Danifae hiding her face while Danica explained the history of Eldergleam and the weapon Nettlebane, the road to Orphan's Rock then to Eldergleam Sanctuary will give ample time tell stories. Mere seconds after Danica set them out they were approached by a man named Maurice Jondrelle, who wished to travel with them to Eldergleam Sanctuary. He was ill-equipped to travel and had nothing for a weapon, so Pein turned him down.

Pein told of his first encounter with a dragon and pointed to the ever-smaller watchtower as they walked to Riverwood. He decided to walk straight through Riverwood despite Danifae's insistence that they rest. When they got to the mountain shortcut to Orphan's Rock he wished they had. Danifae was thin, even for elf standards it was clear she had been through a rough time.

"You look like you've had a rough time." Pein conveyed his thought to her. "We have a good day's walk up the mountain, tell me about it."

Danifae hesitated for a second, she didn't know him and the wounds on her face were definitely were internally scarring as well. After a few seconds of contemplating, she gave her story.

"My parents sold me off to a high elf," she started. "He seemed to believe I was the Dragonborn. He kept asking me about dragons and their language. He took to torturing me, thinking I was withholding information, and things kept getting more and more extreme. He burned my face, crushed my ribs, and took out my left eye, and still I couldn't answer him. After eight broken fingers and two broken wrists, I managed to free myself out of my shackles and escape. I ran into some bandits on the road once I got out, and eventually found myself in Kynareth's loving arms, and have been trying to repay my debt to Danica ever since."

"And here I thought my situation was bad."

She looked at him skeptically, but he decided to change the subject. "Who was the one who tortured you? The Thalmor have taken quite the interest in the Dragonborn, and have been a pain in my ass since soon after the first Whiterun attack. I'd like to personally introduce myself to the local embassy."

"There is a reason I told you this, You're Dragonborn; you're what the Thalmor want, and they will come looking for you. When they find you, I want to help you kill them."

Pein thought about Delphine, how she also hated the Thalmor, and mused over the idea of storming the embassy; three people and the Dragonborn burning that place to the ground.

Pein wanted to see how his new partner could do compared to his other companions, her glass eye gave serious doubt to her battle prowess. Pein's skepticism was alleviated somewhat by her designated role in combat; it was clear that Danifae could not fight in melee combat, and she knew no spells, an interesting discovery with her being a high elf, so her only use was as an archer. She seemed to acknowledge this fact and cope with it, and an anonymous donor gave her a crossbow.

Orphan rock came into view, and it was time to get to work. Pein started his attack the same way he did at Fort Amol, stealthily; and used Aura Whisper just as he had in the catacombs. Someone was crouched in the bushes to the right and someone else was walking toward her. Danica had warned them of the hags; witches who transition into hagravens, and adept destruction mages.

One of them must have been using a spell to see in the dark because intruders were detected immediately. The mages brought their spells to bear, but the adventurers were faster. Danifae shot a crossbow into the crouched one's eye, pushing her back like a ragdoll. The other called out an alarm, but couldn't get her voice past the dagger that just went into her throat.

With the lookouts gone Pein Whispered again to show two more people around a campfire, one sitting down on something and the other standing on the other side warming her hands. A bound arrow and a bolt cooled their bodies forever, and the intruders moved up.

The hagraven was crouched over a dead spriggan, stabbing it repeatedly with something Pein surmised was Nettlebane.

"Herbane was right, these things are repulsive," Pein whispered to himself more than Danifae. When he noticed her looking at him he put in. "Don't interfere, this thing is mine."

Pein steeled his nerves, clutched his left hand, stood right in front of the tree used as a bridge to the island, and brought Flamereaper to bear. The weapon born from the blood of a god will now burn away the eldritch abomination before him. The black and red blade began to glow, the tip that had just been rustling the grass now left a trail of ash and smoldering coals. Danifae stared in awe as the glowing weapon burst into flames, flames that continued to get higher until they completely engulfed Pein's hand and his cloak's arm sleeve caught fire.

The hagraven, once engrossed in its rituals, now too stood shocked by the spectacle before her. The flames continued to rise until the foliage around him began to combust. Pein lowered his sword tip so it slides across the trunk of the downed tree, leaving a line of fire behind. The entire left side of Pein's cloak was burning, but he seemed not to notice.

Pein stood in the center of the island now, where the hagraven was. He took one look at the cut up and obviously long-dead spriggan and stabbed his sword into the ground up to the hilt. The fire show had ended more quickly than it began, and for a second the night was quiet again. Under the earth, Pein still felt the mass of energy from the fire enchantment, and he sent the signal to release it.

the ground shook and the rocks became red hot. The hagraven began to gasp and dance and desperately try to escape, and Pein's boots caught fire. She tried to jump off, but Pein pulled out the sword and released all the energy in a fiery explosion that vaporized her body, as well as the trophies she had on spikes.

The fire from the brush died down in seconds, while the tall trees surrounding the island burned brightly. Pein stood amid the scorched rock naked save for his chain link armor. Four throwing knives and two daggers were at his feet, their sheaths far gone. He picked five of them up and found Nettlebane. With Whirlwind Sprint he was able to cross the gap without the tree, which had fallen thirty feet to the ground and was still on fire.

Pein took a hag's robe, called to Danifae, and headed east to Ivarstead.


End file.
